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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91187	A fresh discovery of some prodigious new wandring-blasing-stars, & firebrands, stiling themselves nevv-lights, firing our church and state into new combustions. Divided into ten sections, comprising severall most libellous, scandalous, seditious, insolent, uncharitable, (and some blasphemous) passages; published in late unlicensed printed pamphlets, against the ecclesiasticall jurisdiction and power of parliaments, councels, synods, Christian kings and magistrates, in generall; the ordinances and proceedings of this present Parliament, in speciall: the national covenant, assembly, directory, our brethren of Scotland, Presbyterian government; the Church of England, with her ministers, worship; the opposers of independent novelties; ... Whereunto some letters and papers lately sent from the Sommer-Islands, are subjoyned, relating the schismaticall, illegal, tyrannical proceedings of some Independents there, in gathering their new-churches, to the great distraction and prejudice of that plantation. / Published for the common good by William Prynne of Lincolnes Inne, Esquire.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1645 (1645)	Wing P3963; Thomason E261_5; ESTC R212456	96,461	90

the Ministry I have no such meaning neither doe I think a worthy Minister to be unworthy or unfit for other the most eminent Offices or callings in Church or Common-wealth were it not that he hath a most eminent calling already sufficient to take up the whole man and unmeet to be yoaked with other callings as the Apostle saith who is sufficient for these things And the Apostles doe reject such employments with a kinde of contempt saying It is not meat that we should leave the word of God to serve Tables and a little after we will give our selves continually to prayer and to the Ministry of the Word intimating that these things would hinder them from prayer and the ministry of the Word whereby it appeares they would not be Deacons nor take upon them any other Office in or over the Church but spend themselves wholly in the word and prayer the like might be manifested by sundry other Scriptures And the evill of it hath beene so generally observed in England that as I heard Queene Elizabeth when she had conferred upon a Minister authority and power to rule was wont to say I have spoyled a good Preacher to day And surely if we observe it the desire of Superiority and Dominion in or over the Church in Ministers and Clergy men and the readinesse of Princes and people to conferre it upon them hath been a principall if not the principall cause in corrupting Religion from time to time and of setting up the great Antichrist and many others as might easily be shewed if it were not an argument too long for this place Thus farre through the gracious assistance of God I have expressed my minde in this matter to the intent I might stop so much as in me lies the setting up of a new Discipline and Government of our owne framing seeing we are already freed of all those things that have usually beene burthensome and offensive to good Christians in England and that we expect daily the further determination and decree of the Honourable Assembly of Parliament in these things Or if I cannot prevaile so farre as to stop it yet that wee might look before we leap and understand well what we doe before we doe it Or if neither that may be obtained yet hence it will appeare that my selfe and some others deserve no blame much lesse such evill speeches as are usually vented against us by some because we will not rashly runne with them we know not whether And lastly I desire that this may be a publike testimony of my judgement in these things For to be present and heare them daily pressed and to bee alwayes silent is taken for a signe of consent and approbation March 1. 1642. RICH. NORWOOD Postscript SInce this Advertisement of mine came abroad though but a month what horrible forespeakings threatnings imprecations and censures have beene publikely denounced against me in severall parts of the Countrey I shall not need to repeat being too well knowne Neither will I answer them accordingly lest I also be like them I will only in the feare of God and by the comfortable assistance of his holy Spirit apply that saying How should they curse where God hath not cursed Or how should they detest where the Lord hath not detested And those words of David It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction and doe me good for his cursing this day A desperate thing it is for men to blaspheme against some good light and what is it to acknowledge the good gifts and graces of God in those which they so bitterly preach against and to overwhelm them all with most foule and feigned susspicions and aspersions without cause As when they say Satan will not use profane and wicked men but he makes choise of those that are of good and able parts men of a religious life of a blamelesse conversation these close hypocrites he makes his instruments to oppose the Kingdom of Christ that is their intended Discipline c. with other like speeches I say it is very dangerous for men thus to give way to wrath and malice The Scribes and Pharisces did see and would no doubt have acknowledged the eminent gifts and graces that shined in our Saviour if he would have applied them to the establishing of their Faction But because he would not doe so they maliciously traduced him and said he had an uncleane spirit but he reproves their desperate wickednesse shewing how nearly they did approach or became guilty of the sinne against the Holy Ghost And let every man take heed how they doe cunningly fasten slanders or otherwise shew despight unto the spirit of Grace because it will not be subordinate unto their ends I could wish also they would consider the words of Marsilius Patavinus in his Book entituled Defender of the Peace Where speaking of those that presume to frame or presse Orders Decrees and other parts of Discipline without license of the true Law-giver or Prince and endeavour to draw people to the observation of them by surreptitious words as it were compelling them by threatning eternall damnation to such as transgresse them or denouncing execrations reproachfull speeches excommunications slanders revilings or other maledictions against them or any of them in word or writing such saith he are to suffer corporall punishment in a most high degree as conspirators and stirrers up of civill schisme or division in a Common-wealth For it is saith he a most grievous kinde of treason because it is committed directly against the Royall Majesty of the Prince and his Soveraigne Authority and tendeth to set up a plurality of supreame authorities or powers and so of necessity to the dissolution or overthrow of every civill Government They object also that I am but a Lay-man and therefore should not meddle with matters of Divinity applying that Proverb Ne sutor ultra crepidam and saying that even the Sunne Moone and Starres wherein he hath skill should teach him that lesson which alwayes move in their owne spheares except they be wandring starres for whom the blacknesse of darknesse is reserved for ever with many other bitter expressions But this is an old plea of the Popish Clergy to hold the people in ignorance and thraldome and should not be taken up by those that would seeme to be more opposite to Popery then Protestants are That eminent and blessed Divine Doctor Sibbes was of another minde who speaking in commendation of Mr Sherland that was no Preacher disdaines not to say he had good skill in controverted points of Divinity and that he was a good Divine And surely the calling of a Christian is of that importance that he must if need so require omit whatsoever calling he have besides to make good that one most necessary neither can he justly be charged to move out of his spheare whensoever he meddles with matters of Christianity and Religion especially such points as he is pressed to embrace and submit

but there would a fearfull ataxy follow without the present Government whereof I so approve that I have and do willingly submit to it and them and have and will presse the same upon others 3 For the Ceremonies that are in use among us as I have already subscribed so I shall diligently and daily practise neither have I ever been accused for neglect therein where I have formerly exercised my Ministry but to them do give my full approbation and allowance 4. For the Book of Common-Prayer the Lyturgie of the Church and what is in them contained finding them agreeable unto the word of God I have used as other Ministers have done and am resolved so to do and have not been Refractory in this particular at any time nor do I intend to be God willing and to these I Subscribe with my heart and hand humbly submitting them and my self to your Lordships pleasure Your Lordships in all humble service HUGH PETER London the 17. of August 1627. IF Master Peter be now of another Judgement it manifests either his grosse ignorance or temporizing then or his levity now and that he is as unsteady in his opinion as in his excentrick motion from place to place But this is in verity the essentiall property of our Lunacy New sights who like the Moon whose light Predominates in them are alwayes changing yea ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth which they continually intricate with their Independent doubts Section IX Containing Libellious Scandalous unchristian Censures and Invectives against those Persons who out of conscience have Written or Preached against the Independents Seditious Schismaticall wayes and Practises I Shall first begin with such Invectives as concern my self What large Encomiums beyond my deserts I received from the Independent party before I writ against their new wayes opinions only in a moderate modest manner by way of Questions is very well known to themselves and others being such and so many that modesty forbids me to relate them lest I should be thought the Herald of my own praises and deserts How many Libells Scandals and false reports of all kindes they have causlesly published of me since by Speech and Printed Libells only because I differ from them in opinion and have in point of conscience being requested so to do declared my opinion of their new groundlesse wayes and Tenets is very well known unto many who have leisure to peruse the severall empty Pamphlets and Invectives daily published a gainst me I shall give you a taste of some few in lieu of many It pleased Iohn Lilburne among others for whom I have done some courtesies but never the least injury or discourtesie in word or deed upon the coming out of my Truth Triumphing over Falshood c. Licensed by a Committee of Parliament for the Presse before ever he had read the Book to write a Libellous Letter to me concerning it which he sent to the Presse and published in Print without License before I received and perused it which though answered in Print by others without my privity openly complained of in the Commons House who referred it to the Committee of Examinations as a most Seditious Libell against the Parliament and Assembly yet I deemed it more worthy contempt then any Answer as refuting not one syllable in my Book In this Letter he stiles me An inciter of higher Powers to wage war with the King of Saints and his Redeemed ones An endeavourer to set the Princes of the earth together by the ears with Christ to pluck his Crown from his head his Scepter out of his hand and his Person out of his Throne of State that his Father hath given him to raign gloriously in He most falsely chargeth me with this false Position That there is no rule left in the word how we may worship God but that Kings and States may set up what Religion they please or may mould it to the manners of their people Whereas there is not any such syllable in any of my Books but the contrary profe●sedly asserted and the Controversies therein debated concerne not the substance of Gods worship or Religion but only the Circumstance of Church-Government which I asserted then on such grounds as their party hath not yet refu●ed not to be precisely set down determined in the New Testament in all particulars but yet conclude that no Church Government ought to be set up but that which is agreeable to the Scriptures though not dogmatically and precisely prescribed in them ●o that if this Libeller were not past all shame he might have blush● to Print and ●●print so notorious a falshood without retractation After this he thus proceeds Had I not seen your name to your Books I should rather have judged them a Papists or a Iesuits then Master Prynnes and without doubt the Pope when he sees them will CANONIZE YOU FOR A SAINT in throwing down his enemy Christ Certainly no Book of mine either in the Front or Bulke carries the least badge of a Priest or Jesuit in it and so far am I from demeriting any thing from the Pope or to be Canonized by him for a Saint that I can without vanity or ostentation affirme before all the world that I have done more disservice to Priests Iesuits and the Pope made more discoveries of their Plots and written more against them and Popery then all the whole generation of Sectaries and Independents put together and I challenge all their Sects to equalize or come near what I have really performed in this particular so that if any man this day breathing in England deserve an Anathema Maranathae from the Pope his party I have more cause to expect itthen any other The whole Kingdom therefore will Proclaim him a notorious slanderer in this particular He proceeds yet further Surely he writes but his words are no Oracles you have given away your ears and have suffered as a busie-body in opposing the King and the Prelats without doubt all is not Gold that glisters for were you not a man that had more then truth to look after namely your own ends and particular interests which I am afraid you strive to set up more then the publike good you should have importuned the Parliament to have continued their favour and respect to that people that cannot prostrate their consciences to mans devices Surely my conscience tells me that I am free from this injurious calumny For my ears I blesse God I gave them not away but lost them in a just quarrell against all Law and Iustice as both Houses of Parliament have unanimously adjudged But whether you did not justly lose your ears for Sedition then and deserve not to lose he remainder of them that I say no more for your Seditious and Libellious carriage now is a great question among your most intelligent friends For my opposing King and Prelates as a busie-body perchance it might be your

own case it was never mine What I have done against the unjust usurpations and illegall excesses of either I did it in a just and Legall way upon such grounds and Authority as was never yet controuled and this I dare make good without vainglory that I have done more reall cordiall service with my pen against the Usurpations of Regality and Prelacy in defence of the Subjects Liberties and Parliaments jurisdiction then all Independent Sectaries whatsoever and that only out of a zeal to Gods glory and the publick good without the least private end or Interest which never yet entred into my thoughts having suffered as much as any man of your Sect if not more for the Publick without either seeking or receiving the least recompence or reward having spent not only my time and Studies but some hundreds of Pounds in the Republicks service since my inlargement without craving or receiving one farthing recompence in any kinde whereas if I had sought my self or been any way covetous or ambitious I might perchance have obtained as advantagious and honourable preferments as any Independents have aspired to if not challenged as their right for lesse meritorious publick services and sufferings then the least of mine As for my importuning the Parliament for continuance of their favours to that people you speak of surely when I finde them more obsequious to the Parliaments just Ordinances and commands lesse willfull and more conscientious I shall do them all the offices of Christian love but whiles contumnacy obstinacy licentiousnesse uncharitablenesse and Schisme are most predominant in them the greatest favour I can move the Parliament to indulge them is to bridle these their extravagances with the severest Laws and to prefer the publike safety of Church and State before their private Lawlesse conceits and phantasticall opinions He addes That I am in this as cruell a Task-master as Pharaoh and that the Son of God and his Saints are but little beholding to me Surely to confine Licencious lawlesse consciences to the rules of Gods word the justLaws of the Realm and rectified reason can Proclaime me no Egyptian Task-master but rather decl●re your Sect meer Libertines who will not be Regnlated by nor confined within these Bounds yea I trust the Son of God and his true Saints are as much beholding to me in your sense as to the greatest Patriarchs of your Independent Tribes be they whom they will This Libeller being questioned before the Committee of Examinations concerning this Letter by their speciall favour returned his Reasons why he sent it in writing which he no sooner exhibited but published in Print the next day after to defame and slander me among his Confederates who give me now no other Epithites in their discourses but a Papist a Persecutor of Gods Saints an Enemy of Christs Kingdom vvho deserve to lose my head for opposing them in this cause c. which I no more value Then the Moon doth the barking of a lousie Cur. In this new unlicensed Paper first he vaingloriously relates his own sufferings and deserts Secondly Traduceth the justice of the Parliament and others against some seditions Sectaries misreciting many of their proceedings to the scandall of Publick justice and the Parliament pag. 3 4. Thirdly pag. 5. He pretends my Books against Independents Licensed by Authority of a Committee of Parliament to be the principall causes of the rigid Proceedings against Separatists especially my Truths Triumphing over Falshood which being subsequent in time to all the particulars he recites could certainly be no occasion of them and therefore he playes not only the Sophyster but Slanderer in this particular Fourthly pag. 5 6. He misrepeats and misapplies some Passages of mine to all of his Sect in generall and to HIMSELF and SVCH AS HE IS in the ARMY and ELSEWHERE Whereas there is not one Syllable in my Passages to that purpose but only against some particular Authors I there mention and such of their Confederates who maliciously and audaciously oppugne the undoubted Rights Priviledges and just Proceedings of Parliament contrary to their Solemne Covenant League and Protestation and if you proclaim your self or any other in the Army or elsewhere to be of this Anti-Parliamentary Regiment as now you do I then professe my self an opposite to you and shall make good against you what ever I have written when and where you please Fiftly He writes That I eagerly endeavour to incense the Parliament against him and such as he is in the Army and elsewhere and in the Conclusion of my Independency examined presse the cutting of them off by the sword executing wrath and vengeance on them upon pain of contracting the guilt of highest Perjury A most malicious scandall For first I never mentioned him or his in particular neither knew I how he stood inclined Secondly In my Independency examined I only in a generall discourse affert that Kings and Civill Magistrates have by the Law of God a Lawfull coercive power thought not to restrain the sincere Preaching of the Gospel and truth of God yet to suppresse restrain imprison confine banish the brea●hers of Heresies Schismes Erronious seditious Doctrines Enthusiasmes or setters up of new Formes of Ecclesiasticall Government without Lawfull Authority to the en●●ngering of mens souls or disturbance of the Churches and Kingdoms Peace These are my formall words which I there make good by Scripture Presidents in all Ages will justifie by Gods assistance upon any occasion against all Sectaries Independents whatsoever After which I close up this discourse in these very words And if any Hereticks false-Teachers Schismaticks chuse which of these three ranks you and yours will fall under obstinatly refuse conformity after due admonition and all good means used to reclaim them the Poets Divinity and Policy must then take place as well in Ecclesiasticall as civill and naturall maladies Cuncta prim tentanda sed immedicabile Vulnius Ense rescidendum est ne pars syncera trahatur Is this any urging of the Parliament To cut you and yours off by the sword and to execute wrath and vengeance on you If you be such obstinate Hereticks Schismaticks or false-Teachers who fall within the compasse of my words God forbid but the sword of Iustice should be drawn out against you as well as others at least to chastise and reduce you to obedience though not finally to cut you off unlesse in case of absolute necessity But if you are none of this obstinate Hereticall Schismaticall Brigade as I make you not unlesse you make your selves my generall indefinite words will relate neither to your self in person whom I never once minded in my writings nor to any of your Tribe And therefore in this particular I charge you for a malicious slanderour and false Informer demanding justice and reparation from you for this and all the forementioned passages wherein you have wilfully done me wrong Sixtly pag. 6. He injuriously chargeth me as guilty of being an Incendiary betwixt

my new yeares gift of which I heard not a word for three weeks space in which time yea so soon as he had it he shewes it to the Ministers who all this time perused scanned and sifted it upon the which Mr White comes to my Schoole salutes me kindely with one with him to catch and beare witnesse what proceeded from me at length uttered his mind amongst many other passages that I perverted the Scripture to my own ends saying I had abused the words of our Saviour Luk 10. where he commandeth little children to come unto him and forbid them not you maintaine saith he he meanes such children as suck the breast here is your errour saith he and for this you shall smart but saith he his meaning was such as were newly converted to the faith these saith he are those that Christ calls little children or babes as in 1 Iohn 2. 1. Therefore for this your absusing and wresting the Word you shall answer it and I doubt not but to crave so much favour of the Governour as to call a Councell table where you shall answer your abuses and peremptory scandalous and libellous writings and so at length we parted The next week following I writ a Letter to the Governour giving him to understand I had taken him for an honest Christian friend telling him withall I sent it not to them but unto him supposing himselfe only would have made use of it for some better ends and withall laving open Schismaticks more plainer then before advising him upon them five marks or tokens to know them by to search and see if he knew none or could finde none Then I shewed that Faction and Sedition did spring from these sinnes Pride Hypocrisie and Ambition and from these three did arise presumption and rebellion both against God and man shewing how and wherein praying these sinnes were not found amongst us but neither named nor pointed at any that hold could be taken The next Sahbath a warrant was served on me for my appearance at a Councell table the thirteenth of February 1644 where being as before I was so baited and banded to and againe as wonder it was and shortly after clapt in prison however nothing traverst that day save only the Letter nor my new years gift never questioned when and where I made mine appeale for England where God blessing me would I have beene at present had it not fallen out that in October last in the dead of the night my house with all I had therein was burned to my great losse and prejudice so that being altogether unable I am forced with sorrow to stay behinde as not being able to put clothes on my back having also burnt all my writings which hath beene more griefe to me then the losse of all my meanes and goods which was more then of mine owne I shall ever see againe But having digressed from the proceeding of this Sect I returne againe where I left and having given over the baptizing of infants for a good season at length they gave over preaching as being no Ministers as being made so in an Antichristian manner and no true Ministers till such time as they were new called and ordained by their holy Church which at length was accomplished in which time they still continued their weekly Lectures whereat there was added and they received members unto and into their Church daily but after a most strange manner their exercise being ended those that were to enter in came upto the Chancell with great sobriety and shew of humility and sorrow with contrition and wounding of conscience for sinne and there stand but with much hypocrisie and dissimulation and there before the Pulpit with all the holy brethren and sisters about them they make a consession of their sinnes are in outward shew sorry for them with great contrition upon which enquiry is made among them what they think of their confession and contrition and whether they are not worthy as members of their holy Church to bee received in answer is made yea then they tell them they do accept of them and with great applause they all receive them all shaking and embracing and hugging them with great joy biding welcome brother welcome sister But such confessions and doings as you never saw the like insomuch that Law might justly take hold of many of them but these open confessions have a pretty while bin left off they being ashamed of it in regard the people mock them telling them that this open auricular confession is meere idolatry and superstition therefore now they have private confessions and whosoever entereth into their church must also enter into covenant to stand to and to maintain their church and church-discipline orders governours and government to the uttermost of their powers and abilities yea they must endeavour and strive therein even unto blood And concerning baptizing of infants at the taking up againe of their ministery they also have taken up againe the use of the Sacraments but only among themselves but for any that are not in or of their church their children shall not bee baptized unlesse they will enter into their church and covenant with them neither for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper shall any partake thereof but only their owne Flocks and Members by which cause many people who have an ardent desire thereunto have beene deprived of it some two yeares some three yeares some more some lesse to their great griefe and sorrow And for the manner forme and order of the Sacrament amongst themselves it is according to their Faction derogating from our mother Church as I heare and for all such as are not of them nor adheres unto them we are accounted as heathens yea even as dogs or swine and so reputed Thus in briefe have I laid you downe the order and manner of their Church from the beginning to this present which hath beene in agitation these foure or five yeares and whether it be yet fully perfected I think themselves are ignorant of but now is their maine hope that their great Pastor of their Church is now come for England and that from and by the Parliament he will accomplish a full and absolute setling and establishing this their Church amongst us by vertue and power from the Parliament and by friends that he will raise especially by the meanes of one Mr Holland one that beares some place of eminency in Parliament who is a great and extraordinary friend of his the which if he should accomplish this their wicked desires then will they tyrannize over us and bring a great confusion upon our whole Countrey and raise civill warres among us to our utter subversions being in comparison but a handfull of people to the great griefe and hearts sorrow of many honest Christian hearts who desire the peace of Gods true Church but for all false wayes we utterly abhorre And now Worshipfull Sir with favour give

of all persons here and of whom he will certainly require it if such an evill as is threatned should befall through your neglect For although the great Antichrist and his Clergy did prevaile to perswade Christian Princes and Magistrates that the Government of the Church and care of Religion pertained not to them but to the Clergy and the like is now here preached amongst us yet I verily trust you entertain no such false principle For to establish true Religion to maintain it and to see that the duties of Religion be duly performed to God and man is almost all that the Law requireth and so is almost if not all the duty of the Christian Magistrate And this being taken from him and put upon the Clergy he may serve as an officer to execute what the Clergy shall decree but ceaseth in a manner wholly to be a Magistrate Thus commending you to the tuition and direction of Almighty God I rest March 6. 1642. Your Worships in all due observance RICH. NORWOOD An Advertisement to such here as have care of the Conservation of true Religion IT is and ought to be the principall care of every good Christian to conserve the knowledge and exercise of true Religion in himselfe and others being the one thing necessary But from this these times have much declined everywhere and even in our deare native Countrey so farre as called for a speedy Reformation or threatned ruine And seeing little hope of the one the latter was justly feared by many and by my selfe I confesse amongst others being the principall cause of my comming hither But the Lord hath mercifully stayed those feares and given us fresh hopes by the Reformation in so great a measure begun by the present Parliament which also they endeavour through many difficulties to accomplish more fully And considering how worthily they have begun and what great things they have effected above all expectation we have no cause to mis-doubt them nor to anticipate their Honourable proceedings but rather to attend what shall be determined by them especially considering that wee of this place as wee have not beene much burthened except by some Ministers so now we are altogether unburthened of the Ceremonies and whatsoever else hath usually beene offensive to good Christians in England For if we should set up a new Government or Discipline and forme of Religion here wee must alter it againe when wee understand out of England what forme the Parliament have or shall establish Some say no our Ministers are as supreame heads under Christ of their severall Churches here and not subordinate in these things Ecclesiasticall to Parliament or any other power upon earth whatsoever but this opinion savors too much of Antichristian pride and presumption Others say the Parliament will establish the same forme that our Ministers will set up here but these conjectures doe much wrong that Honourable Assembly for if the matter were so easie and evident that our Ministers here can presently determine it then what need the Parliament so long to debate and consider of it What need such consultation with the ablest Divines in England and many other from all parts And why hath there beene such difference of opinions touching this matter even amongst the most godly and learned in Christendome for these 100 years together I remaines therefore that wee must change againe when we heare from thence and considering what changes have beene made by some already if we should now make another change in setting up a new Discipline and shortly after another when we heare out of England such mutability would neither be safe for this place not suteable to the stedfastnesse of the Church and people of God which is the Pillar and ground of truth and must not be wavering and carried about with every winde of Doctrine c. The Apostle makes it a signe of a double minded man to be unstable in all his wayes and in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines c. And the Prophet saith Why runnest thou about so much to change thy wayes It will be answered we intend not to change but to the better but withall remember that such is alwayes the pretence and oft-times the intent in all Innovations whatsoever Therefore Solomon saith My sonne feare God and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change Not but that even the best Christians may al●er sometimes in some circumstances of Religion some good and weighty causes requiring it but it must not be through levity nor of an high minde nor for selfe ends A restlesse levity and that with contempt of Authority under pretence of greater and new lights is a dangerous signe of an Anabaptisticall spirit Therefore I say what we change ought to be done with the feare of God and the King In the feare of God namely according to his Word and with the feare of the King that is consenting with the Lawes and Soveraigne Authority set over us or at least not with an high hand in contempt thereof For every soule must be subject to the higher powers yea saith Chrysostome though he be an Apostle though an Evangelist though a Prophet Therefore I could wish as I have often perswaded that wee might stay for the determination of the Parliament in these things and likewise the approbation of the Company in those that concern● them But because some here are very impetuous and a further change is daily preached and pressed amongst us I have little hope to stop the violence of this streame Therefore to the intent we may understand and consider what to doe and as the saying is look before we leap I should in the next place desire as many others doe and as it concerns us all to desire of them and of our Ministers especially that they would be pleased to set down in writing whatsoever new thing in Doctrine or Discipline they would have us entertaine different from the practice or tenents of the Church of England that so each thing being well considered examined and adjudged by the Word of God we may entertaine or reject it accordingly I know there are sundry Objections alleadged and pretended more then I need to repeat or answer here For howsoever it is true that we are to submit our selves to the Word of God I meane the holy Scriptures in all things yet not so to men especially when they seek themselves in stead of Christ No though they tell us they are the mouth of God and sit in Moses chaire and therefore must be heard and obeyed and that the government of the Church belongeth to them next under Christ and that even Caiaphas though a persecutor of Christ yet when he had the place of High-priest he prophesied the truth And though they tell us we must not strive with the Priest nor reprove our R●prover and though they accuse us to have rejected and opposed more